Salmonella Legal Cases

Sixty-three more ill people from 14 states were added to this investigation since the last update on October 4, 2018. Six more states reported ill people: Hawaii, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington.

As of October 23, 2018, 120 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Newport have been reported from 22 states. Thirty-three people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from August 5, 2018 to September 28, 2018. Ill people range in age from less than one year to 88, with a median age of 42. Fifty-nine percent are male. Of 95 people with information available, 33 (35%) have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

State and local health departments continue to ask ill people questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the week before they became ill. Sixty-six (93%) of 71 people interviewed reported eating ground beef at home.

Epidemiologic and traceback evidence indicates that ground beef produced by JBS Tolleson, Inc. is a likely source of this outbreak. On October 4, 2018, JBS Tolleson, Inc. recalled approximately 6.5 million pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with Salmonella Newport.

A total of 265 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Typhimurium were reported from South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Mississippi.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from January 8, 2018, to March 20, 2018. Ill people ranged in age from less than 1 year to 89 years, with a median age of 57. Sixty-seven percent of people were female. Ninety-four hospitalizations were reported, including one person from Iowa who died.

Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback evidence indicated that chicken salad produced by Triple T Specialty Meats, Inc. and sold at Fareway grocery stores was the likely source of this multistate outbreak.

Investigators in Iowa collected chicken salad from two Fareway grocery store locations in Iowa for laboratory testing. An outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium was identified in both samples.

On February 21, 2018, Triple T Specialty Meats, Inc. recalled all chicken salad produced from January 2, 2018 to February 7, 2018. The recalled chicken salad was sold in containers of various weights from the deli at Fareway grocery stores in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota from January 4, 2018 to February 9, 2018.

In Minnesota, the Bemidji Pioneer reported two Burger King restaurants in Bemidji temporarily closed Thursday after more than two dozen people contracted salmonella after eating there. Doug Schultz, a spokesperson with the Minnesota Department of Health, said the department has confirmed 27 cases, and received reports of four more probable cases.

Both Burger King sites voluntarily decided to close Thursday. Most cases were identified in September, he said, but the victims may have been exposed to salmonella before then. Two additional cases came to light this week, prompting the closures.

The Washington State Department of Health announced today a Salmonella outbreak involving pre-cut watermelon, cantaloupe, or fruit mixes containing watermelon or cantaloupe in both Washington and Oregon.

People who purchased these products on or about Oct. 25 up to Dec. 1 from QFC, Fred Meyer, Rosauers, and Central Market in Washington and Oregon are urged not to eat the fruit and throw it away.

Eighteen people from King (5), Mason (1), Pierce (1), Snohomish (7), Thurston (1), and Yakima (1) counties and two individuals from Oregon have been diagnosed with Salmonella.

The Chapel Hill Creamery in Chapel Hill, NC, is recalling all of its cheese products because they have been linked to a growing Salmonella outbreak in North Carolina and elsewhere.

A local county health officer said Thursday that the outbreak has sickened at least 50 people in North Carolina and about the same number in other states, and that it’s the same strain found in samples of raw milk from the Chapel Hill Creamery. Nine of those sickened in North Carolina have been hospitalized so far.

The products being recalled include all codes, packages and sizes of 14 varieties of cheese manufactured by the Chapel Hill Creamery and distributed through retail locations, farmers markets and restaurants throughout North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia and Georgia.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reports tonight that 216 people have developed a Salmonella infection linked to Tarheel Q restaurant in Lexington, North Carolina.

Case distribution includes 15 North Carolina counties and 5 states. Of the North Carolina cases 77% of cases are residents of Davidson County and Davie County.

Laboratory testing indicates that the BBQ sample and a sample from a patient who became ill during the beginning of the outbreak are both positive for Salmonella species. The serogroup was found to be Typhimurium. Both samples have the same PFGE pattern (i.e. DNA fingerprint).

Over 20 additional clinical specimens are pending results at the state lab.

Of these 216 cases:

56% are male

43% are between the ages of 20 and 49

20% have visited their provider

12% have visited the ED

6% have been hospitalized

No deaths due to Salmonella infection have been identified

82% of cases had illness onset dates between Tuesday, June 16, 2015, and Sunday, June 21, 2015.

In June 2104 Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) investigated an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium among persons who had consumed chicken or deli products from Jewel Osco, a grocery store located in Tinley Park, Illinois. In total 19 case patients were identified. Fourteen patients were laboratory confirmed with Salmonella Typhimurium, five patients were considered to be “probable” cases. Dates of illness onset ranged from May 9 to June 11. Two additional case-patients who were laboratory confirmed with Salmonella Typhimurium were identified with symptom on June 15 and June 25. They both had exposure to a previously identified household member will illness associated with this outbreak. Eight outbreak associated case patients required hospitalization and three others visited their physician’s office.

Genetic testing by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) of isolates cultured from stool specimens submitted by case patients was performed by the Illinois Department of Public Health Laboratory. The outbreak strain was identified as PulseNet Pattern Identification Number JPXX01.0324.

Environmental health staff from CCDPH and the Tinley Park Village Inspector conducted an on-site investigation at the Jewel Osco deli on June 11, 2014. The deli was closed for six hours for cleaning and disinfection. All food items were discarded. Food handlers were excluded from work pending negative stool screening tests for Salmonella. Two food handlers were positive for Salmonella Typhimurium strain JPXX01.0324. No leftover foods from the deli or from homes of case-patients were tested.

CCDPH concluded that an outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium JPXX01.0324 occurred at Jewel Osco deli. Outbreak associated cases consumed deli products or chicken from the store. After the June 11 intervention by health officials, no other cases were reported.

Marler Clark represents three victims.

Salmonella:Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants. The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.

Between January and July 2014 public health officials in the United States and Canada investigated an outbreak of Salmonella linked to consumption of organic sprouted chia seeds or chia powder. The initial outbreak investigation used PulseNet data to identify a cluster of 12 persons infected with a strain of Salmonella Newport that had never been seen before in PulseNet. Through a collaborative investigation with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified a second cluster of patients with a strain of Salmonella Hartford also not seen previously in PulseNet. A third serotype isolated in patients, Salmonella Oranienburg, was also suspected of being associated with chia powder. Canadian public health officials identified a fourth serotype in outbreak associated patients, Salmonella Stainpaul. A fifth serotype, Salmonella Saintpaul, was isolated in patients in Canada but not in the United States.

Early in the investigation, 21 ill persons answered questions about foods eaten and other exposures in the week before becoming ill. Nineteen (90%) of them reported eating chia seeds or powder. Fifteen (79%) of 19 persons who identified the type of chia product consumed reported eating chia powder specifically. Traceback of the products reported by ill persons identified Bioessential Botanicals, a Canadian firm, as a common supplier of organic sprouted chia powder used in these products. Laboratory testing conducted by state public health laboratories in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin as well as by federal laboratories in the United States (FDA) and Canada (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) isolated outbreak strains of Salmonella Newport, Salmonella Hartford, and Salmonella Oranienburg in opened and unopened products containing chia powder. One or more of the outbreak strains was isolated in samples of Navitas Naturals products. Additionally, FDA laboratory sampling identified one sample of Organic Traditions Sprouted Chia Seed Powder containing Salmonella Gaminara. There did not appear to be any human cases of Salmonella Gaminara linked to this outbreak.

These findings prompted several recalls of multiple products containing chia seed and chia powder in the U.S. and Canada. On May 28, 2014 Navitas Naturals recalled products containing sprouted chia powder. The recalled products included Navitas Naturals Organic Sprouted Chia Powder, Navitas Naturals Omega Blend Sprouted Smoothie Mix, and Williams-Sonoma Omega 3 Smoothie Mixer. On May 30, 2014 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) notified consumers that Advantage Health Matters and Back 2 the Garden recalled various products containing sprouted chia seed powder. These products were sold under the brand names Organic Traditions and Back 2 the Garden. CFIA expanded the recall several times throughout June 2014 to include Harmonic Arts Botanical Dispensary, Intuitive Path Superfoods, and Nourish Inc. On June 11, 2014 the FDA placed Bioessential Botanicals on import alert, thereby prohibiting entry of shipments of chia seed and chia powder into the United States.

United States Outbreak

A total of 31 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Newport (20 persons), Salmonella Hartford (7 persons), or Salmonella Oranienburg (4 persons) were reported from 16 states. Five ill persons were hospitalized. There were no deaths. Illness onset dates ranged from January 21, 2014 to July 22, 2014. The investigation of an outbreak of salmonellosis linked to consumption of chia seeds or chia powder was closed on August 14, 2014.

Canadian Outbreak

Illness in 63 persons in Canada was attributed to consumption of chia seeds or chia powder. In Canada four outbreak strains of Salmonella Newport, Salmonella Hartford, Salmonella Oranienburg, and Salmonella Saintpaul were isolated. Ill persons resided in 4 provinces – Alberta (10 cases), British Columbia (14 cases), Ontario (35 cases) and Quebec (4 cases). In Canadian patients, dates of illness onsets ranged from December 1, 2013 to June 22, 2014. Twelve case-patients were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. On August 13, 2014 the investigation in Canada was declared closed.

Marler Clark represents several individuals and families and has filed two lawsuits.

State health and agriculture officials said today that six recent cases of salmonellosis in Minnesota have been linked to raw, frozen, breaded and pre-browned, stuffed chicken entrees. The implicated product is Antioch Farms brand A La Kiev raw stuffed chicken breast with a U.S. Department of Agriculture stamped code of P-1358. This product is sold at many different grocery store chains. Marler Clark has been retained by the family of a 14-year-old victim.

Investigators from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) determined that six cases of Salmonella infection from August and September 2014 were due to the same strain of Salmonella Enteritidis. One person was hospitalized for their illness.

There have been six outbreaks of salmonellosis in Minnesota linked to these types of products from 1998 through 2008. This is the first outbreak since improvements were made in 2008 to the labeling of these products.

Aspen Foods Division of Koch Meats, a Chicago, Il., based establishment, is recalling 28,980 pounds of chicken products that may be contaminated with a particular strain of Salmonella Enteritidis, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today. FSIS requested Aspen Foods conduct this recall because this product is known to be associated with a specific illness cluster.

The recalled product includes partially prepared chicken products sold by retailers under the Antioch Farms brand name, with “sell by” dates of October 1, 2015 and October 7, 2015. The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “P-1358” inside the USDA mark of inspection. The chicken products were produced on July 2, 2014 and July 8, 2014. These products were shipped to retail stores and distribution centers in Minnesota.

As of July 14, 2014, a total of 25 ill persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Newport (16 persons), Salmonella Hartford (7 persons), or Salmonella Oranienburg (2 persons) have been reported from 15 states. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arizona (1), California (3), Colorado (1), Connecticut (3), Florida (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (1), New York (5), Ohio (1), Rhode Island (1), Texas (2), Utah (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (3).

Three ill persons have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

Collaborative investigation efforts of state, local, and federal public health and regulatory agencies indicate that organic sprouted chia powder is the likely source of this outbreak.

Sprouted chia powder is made from chia seeds that are sprouted, dried, and ground.

As a result of this investigation, several recalls of products containing organic sprouted chia powder and chia seeds have been issued.

The Public Health Agency of Canada continues to investigate similar cases of Salmonella infection in several Canadian provinces. In Canada, four strains of Salmonella causing illness have been associated with this outbreak: Salmonella Newport and Salmonella Hartford, Salmonella Oranienburg, and Salmonella Saintpaul. In total, 59 cases have been reported in British Columbia (13), Alberta (10), Ontario (33) and Quebec (3). Nine cases have been hospitalized; seven cases have been discharged and have recovered or are recovering. The status of two cases has not been provided to the Agency. No deaths have been reported. The investigation is ongoing but currently, 43 of 51 cases that have been interviewed have reported consumption of chia seeds or sprouted chia seed powder.

Several Canadian companies have recalled products containing sprouted chia powder or chia seeds.

Lynne Terry reports that the Foster Farms plant that was closed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over unsanitary conditions has reopened.

The USDA gave the company the go-ahead to resume production Saturday at its Livingston, Calif., following treatment for cockroaches and other pests. The USDA closed the plant on Wednesday after the fifth sighting of the insects in the plant in five months.

The facility is one of three implicated in a nationwide salmonella outbreak that’s sickened more than 400 people. The USDA threatened to close all three plants in October, citing high salmonella rates, but backed down when Foster Farms promised to enact tighter food safety controls.

The USDA said in its suspension notice that Foster Farms would only be allowed to open the facility when it came up with a plan to eliminate the cockroaches and ensure they stay out of the facility. The USDA said the plan would need to identify the source of the problem and include a pest-control program and monitoring.

Marler Clark

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About this blog

The Salmonella blog supplements Marler Clark’s Web site About Salmonella, a site that provides information about Salmonella, the symptoms and risks of infection, testing and the detection of salmonellosis, and how to prevent Salmonella outbreaks.